Look in almost any magazine, and you may see a top-ten list. It could be the year’s best songs, movies, or places to visit. But one of the oldest top-ten lists is actually a top-seven list!
The Greek poet Antipater of Sidon lived more than 2,100 years ago. He made a list of what he thought were the most amazing creations of his day. He never even saw most of them! Nobody knows why he did that. He may have wanted to make a guide for visitors who came to places along the eastern Mediterranean. His list had two tombs and two statues. It also had a temple, a garden, and a wall. Today, with only one change (a lighthouse instead of a wall), we call these monuments the Seven Wonders of the World.